This application relates to a collapsible mold core which permits the manufacture of straight-walled buckets, for example, in which the bucket lip has an inwardly-projecting rim that would seriously interfere with the removal of the bucket from a non-collapsible core. In a molding process, the mold core is fitted within a mold cavity to define the inner surface of the mold cavity, with the outer surface being defined by a conventional mold half for buckets, or any other hollow item which may be desired to be molded. Various designs of molded buckets and the like have inwardly-projecting members. These create problems relative to the removal of the molded bucket from the core which may be solved by the use of the collapsible core of this invention.
The collapsible core of this invention may also be used for molding of other hollow structures having inwardly-projecting members which create problems in the removal of the molded item from the core.